Charles e



(No Model.)

C. E. SCRIBNER. COMBINATION TELEPHONE KEY.

No. 433,424. Patented July 29, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE..

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE -WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINATION TELEPHONE-KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,424, dated July 29, 1890.

Application filed .Tune l, 1889. Renewed April 17, 1890. Serial No. 348,315. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Referring to Fig. l, the wedge a is of insu- Beit known that I, CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, lating material, and is provided with a hana citizen of the United States, residing at Chidle or knob h, the shank of which passes cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illiloosely through an opening in the face c of 55 5 nois, have invented a certain new and usethe strip. The hole in the facing c is someful Improvement in Combination Telephonewhat larger than the shank, in order that the Keys, (Case 200,) of which the following is a handle may be depressed when desired. I full, clear, concise, and exact description, refprovide the guide d, which is mounted upon erence being had to the accompanying drawthe free end of the contact-spring e.r The 6o 1o ings, forming a part of this speciiication. wedge a in Fig. l is shown thrust in under My invention relates to electric keys, and spring f, so as to lift said spring j' from the more especially to that form which is deknife-edge contact provided upon its undersigned foruse in telephone-exchanges. Coinlying contact-spring g. bination-keys adapted to connectthe oper- As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, it will be 65 15 ators telephone into circuit when operated seen that the wedge is provided with side in one way and to make connection with the pieces, so that the spring f cannot be moved signal battery or generator when operated in laterally. The spring g is separated from another way have been sometimes termed spring e by a stud g of insulating material. listening andcallingkeys.' As to the state This stud g', being inserted into each of 7o zo of the art prior to my invention, reference is springs g and e, holds said springs separate made to Letters Patent No. 388,453, granted and prevents any lateral motion thereof. The me August 28, 1888, for loop-key. Owing to knife-edge is thus always held high enough, the constant use to which my loop-key, as so as to form a support for the spring fwhen shown in said patent, is subjected in a telethe wedge is withdrawn, thus insuring a good 75 25 phone-exchange, the contact-springs have electrical connection between springs g and sometimes become displaced, being moved f. The free end of spring e is bent, so as to laterally, and in some cases said springs have come under the contact h, and the tension of lost their proper tension,so as tobe connected said spring e is such as normally to press togetherimproperly. Bymy invention herein against said contact h, as shown. This press- 8o 3o Iavoid these defects, the springsbeingalways ure of spring e against contact h must be maintained in proper relation one to another sufficient to insure a good electrical connecand of proper tension. tion. i

Myinvention consistsinprovidingagrooved I have provided a rubber stud i above the wedge and two studs or separating-pieces of contact h. upon the spring e, in order that 85 3 5 insulating material and a knife-edge contactwhen handle h is depressed and connection point upon one of the springs arranged and "inade between spring e and the generatorcombined as hereinafter described. contact l, while connection is broken be- My invention is illustrated in the accomtween the spring e and contact h below, there panying drawings, in Whichwill be no accidental connection made be- 9o 4o Figurelisasectional view of my key. Fig. tween spring e and contact 7i above. rlhis 2 is a plan view showing a portion of a secstud i enables me to adjust the spring e to tion or strip of such loop-keys. Fig. 3 is a press upward with greater force than would detached perspective view of the spring probe safe if the said stud i were not used. vided with the knife-edge contact. Fig. 4 is Havingthusdescribed1nyinvention,Iclaim 95 45 a detail perspective view of the wedge proas new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- Vided with side pieces for preventing the entspring which is operated thereby from movl. The combination, with the handle b, ing laterally. mounted upon the free end of a spring, of a I have not deemed it necessary to show the contact h, under which the free end of said :roo 5o circuit and connections, since they form no spring is bent and adapted to press normally part of the invention herein claimed. against the saine, a contact Z, against which the free end of said spring is adapted to be closed when the handle is depressed, and a stud t', of insulating material, above contact L, ubstantiall y as and for the purpose speci- 2. The combination, with the spring g, provided With a knife-edge and placed in the same plane with springs f and e on opposite sides thereof, of the stud g between spring e and spring g, and the grooved wedge mounted upon spring c and adapted to be thrust under springfto lift the same, whereby lateral movement of said springs is prevented and springs g and e maintained insulated from one another, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 3. The combination, with the spring g, provided with a knife-edge and placed in the same plane with springs fand e on opposite sides thereof, of the stud g between spring e and spring g, and the wedge mounted upon spring e and adapted to be thrust under spring' f to lift the same, whereby lateral movement of said springs is prevented and springs g and e maintained insulated from one another, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a telephone-key, of lever e, with its opposing contact, a contactpiece g, carried thereon, a stud g', adapted to insulate the lever e from contact-piece g and at the same time prevent lateral motion voi" the one with relation to the other, contactspring f, adapted for contact with contactpiece g, plunger a, provided with projecting lianges adapted to litt spring f from contactpiece g and at the same time prevent lateral motion of the said spring` f, whereby spring e `may be moved to and from its contact or the springf be moved to and from its contact and disarrangement of the parts with relation to each other prevented, substantially as set forth,

5. The combination, with the spring f, of its underlying spring and the spring @and its contacts, said spring e carrying the guide, said springs being in the same plane, and the grooved Wedge and the handle therefor, said wedge being adapted to be inserted under the free end of. spring f to lift the same from contact with its said underlying spring, and the handle thereof having a vertical movement, whereby on depressing the handle the spring e is separated from one contact and closed upon another contact, While lateral movement of the springs is prevented when the wedge is inserted, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

6. rlhe combination, with the springs e f and the intermediate spring, of the stud g', of insulating material, between the spring e and the intermediate spring, and the grooved wedge mounted upon the tree end ot' spring e and 'adapted to be inserted under the spring f to lift the same from contact with the intermediate spring, While lateral movement of the several springs'with relation to one another is prevented, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day `ot May, A. D. 1889.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER.

Witnesses:

ELLA EDLER, GEORGE P. BARTON. 

